10 Questions For Reggie Bush

Due to a combination of head coach Sean Payton’s ingenious play calling, future Hall-of -Fame quarterback Drew Brees' golden arm and the versatility of Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush, the New Orleans Saints' offense has been ranked No. 1 for two of the past three seasons.

In 2008, the powerhouse offense led with league in yards (410.7), passing (311.1), and points (28.9) per game. The AP named Brees Offensive Player of the Year, he made his third Pro Bowl appearance and set a league record with 440 completions, racking up 5,069 passing yards in the process.

But all was not sunny for the record-setting offense. Plagued by injuries of running backs Deuce McAllister (he blew out his ACL in Week 3 and missed three games) and Reggie Bush (who didn’t suit up for six games due to a reoccurring left knee injury), the ground game was problematic and consistently struggled in short-yardage situations. The Saints' running game wrapped up the season ranked 28th with a dismal 99.6 yards per game average.

With the release of McAllister in February and Saints' General Manager Mickey Loomis unable to orchestrate a deal during the draft in April to add Ohio State University running back Chris “Beanie” Wells to the roster, expectations for Bush are at an all time high.

“The fact that we didn’t draft a running back speaks volumes to what they are looking for from me this year,” Bush recently said to media. “I don’t know how much my role is going to change, but I think it’s going to step up a lot more, especially in the leadership role position.”

The play-making running back is ahead of rehab schedule after a micro-fracture procedure was performed on his left knee in December by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Bush expects to be 100 percent by the start of mini-camp in June.

With 18 weeks to go before kicking off the 2009 season against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 13, here are 10 questions for Reggie Bush as he heads into his fourth season with the Saints.

• How did you spend the offseason? Did you go on vacation? 
• What expectations have you set for yourself for the 2009 season?
• What tweaking has been done to improve the ground game?
• What do you think it will take for the Saints to make it into the postseason?
• Are you taking any extra precautions to ensure the health of your knee?
• What do you expect first-round pick cornerback Michael Jenkins from Ohio State to bring to the secondary?
• The Saints have had the No. 1 offense two out of the past three seasons. As a result, opponents will be gunning for you. How does the offense plan on staying ahead of the curve?
• What are a few of your favorite places in New Orleans?
• Do you have any gameday rituals? How do you unwind between games? Do you have any hobbies?
• Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has a history of choking when his girlfriend Jessica Simpson attends Cowboy games. Does it affect you when your girlfriend Kim Kardashian attends Saints' games? Are you superstitious about it?